Political science and theory Books

Book SynopsisThis third and final volume of the series of writings by Antonio Negri examines how Spinoza’s thought constitutes a radical break with past ideas and an essential tool for envisaging a form of politics beyond capitalism. Negri shows how Spinoza’s ideas have facilitated radical renewal from their beginnings to the present day. It was the democratic freedoms and spirit of solidarity fostered in The Netherlands of the 17th century that allowed Spinoza to develop a radically new form of thought, redefining notions of the state and outlining a republican alternative to absolutist monarchy. In our own era, Negri argues that the rediscovery of Spinoza was critical in reinvigorating political theory. Instead of acquiescing to the economic order of capitalism and abandoning the class struggle, Spinoza’s ideas enable us to reconstruct a revolutionary perspective. His treatment of concepts such as multitude, necessity, and liberty have given us new ways of looking critically at our present, revealing that power must always be seen as a question of antagonism and class struggle. The writings that make up this volume – some written from prison as Negri fought for his own freedom – provide an important account of the enduring relevance of Spinoza’s thought. It will be of great interest to students and scholars of philosophy and political theory, as well anyone interested in radical politics today.Table of ContentsPreface: Two histories for Spinoza Part I: Spinoza in '68 1) Starting from Masaniello ... Deleuze / Spinoza: a political becoming 2) Spinoza / Deleuze: the good moment 3) Joyous Spinozists Part II: Spinoza and today 4) Spinoza: an other power for action 5) Concerning multitude 6) Reflections on the immaterial (Spinoza, Marx ... and today) 7) Spinoza, necessity and freedom: some interpretational alternatives 8) Justice: Spinoza and others 9) A small note on fear in Spinoza 10) Hatred, as a passion Part III: Spinoza in the seventeenth century 11) Politics of immanence, politics of transcendence 12a) Preface to Hegel 12) Rereading Hegel, the philosopher of right 13) Problems of the historiography of the modern state: France: 1610-1650 13a) Notes for the same 14) Considerations on Macpherson 15) Reflections on Grossmann and Borkenau 16) Notes on the history of politics in Tronti

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Book SynopsisHow are institutions formed and how do they change? How do institutions interact to produce action? And how formal do institutions need to be to become effective actors of governance? This textbook provides a thorough examination of institutions from a number of theoretical perspectives to identify their key characteristics. Key features of the fourth edition: Eight consistent questions are used to highlight the similarities and differences between institutions, using both formal and informal examples Two new chapters focus on informal institutions and the process of institutionalization and deinstitutionalization A wide range of theories are highlighted, giving students a broad overview of institutional theory in political science The application of these institutional theories is demonstrated using a variety of international examples. For students of comparative politics, political theory and institutions, this textbook will be an essential guide to understanding and analyzing institutions in political science.Trade Review'The book offers by far the most systematic and elaborate account of the importance of institutional theory in political science. It gives both researchers and practitioners a lot of ideas about how to analyze and conduct political-administrative decision-making processes, seen through institutional lenses.' --Tom Christensen, University of Oslo, Norway and Renmin University of ChinaTable of ContentsContents: Preface to 4th edition 1. Institutionalism Old and New Part I Varieties of Institutionalism 2. The Roots of the New Institutionalism: “Normative Institutionalism” 3. Rational Choice Theory and Institutional Theory 4. The Legacy of the Past: Historical Institutionalism 5. Empirical Institutionalism 6. Ideas as the Foundation of Institutions: Discursive and Constructivist Institutionalism 7. Sociological Institutionalism Part II Applications of Institutionalism 8. Institutions of Interest Representation 9. International Institutionalism Part III Issues in Institutionalism 9. Informal Institutions and Governing 10. Institutionalization and Deinstitutionalization Part IV Wrapping Up 11. Conclusion: One Institutionalism or Many References Index

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Book SynopsisThe far right is back with a vengeance. After several decades at the political margins, far-right politics has again taken center stage. Three of the world’s largest democracies – Brazil, India, and the United States – now have a radical right leader, while far-right parties continue to increase their profile and support within Europe. In this timely book, leading global expert on political extremism Cas Mudde provides a concise overview of the fourth wave of postwar far-right politics, exploring its history, ideology, organization, causes, and consequences, as well as the responses available to civil society, party, and state actors to challenge its ideas and influence. What defines this current far-right renaissance, Mudde argues, is its mainstreaming and normalization within the contemporary political landscape. Challenging orthodox thinking on the relationship between conventional and far-right politics, Mudde offers a complex and insightful picture of one of the key political challenges of our time.Trade Review"Powerful, timely, important. A much needed analysis."Elif Shafak “The far-right is mutating and Cas Mudde offers the best guide to understanding its growth and impact.” Ryan Heath, POLITICO “Cas Mudde is one of the most clear-eyed, trenchant analysts of politics in the West. His latest work is packed with insight and offers a vital guide into the array of nativist and extremist factions shaping the global zeitgeist.”Ishaan Tharoor, The Washington Post "The Far Right Today is a must-read for everyone who is not numb to the authoritarian forces challenging our values and dismantling liberal democracies. Cas Mudde provides unique insights to the underlying reasons for the rise and normalisation of the far right and brilliantly places the phenomena in historical context."Tanja Fajon, MEP and Vice-President of the S & D Group “While many Americans are driven mad by the nightly news, Cas Mudde provides an anti-dote – the global and historical context for the rise of the right in his insightful and accessible book. The radical right has become mainstreamed, Mudde argues, posing a historic challenge with no easy solutions. This book is essential to anyone organizing working people or engaged in politics.”Karen Nussbaum, Working America, AFL-CIO“A powerful wake-up call.”Morning Star"Timely"Communication Director "A must read"Gothenburg Post‘one of the best books I have read this year’Democracy Paradox‘a beautiful, concise and very accessible book … that provides excellent insight into why the radical right has become so influential’ Clingendael Spectator "an indispensable guide to extreme right-wing parties, written with admirable precision." Edward Luce, Financial Times ‘a very readable introduction’Inside Story"Packed with vital, necessary information on the far right today and the different types of organisations to be found in their camp."Socialism Today 'The Far Right Today is a clear book, full of definitions and facts about the radical right from Brazil to India… a valuable reference work.'NRC Handelsblad​ ‘The Far Right Today is an (semi-) academic equivalent of a page-turner…A must read’ e-Extreme “A thorough account of how the far right has been transformed over recent years based on decades of research.” Patterns of PrejudiceTable of ContentsAcknowledgements Abbreviations Introduction 1. History 2. Ideology and Issues 3. Organization 4. People 5. Activities 6. Causes 7. Consequences 8. Responses 9. Gender 10. Twelve Theses on the Fourth Wave Notes Chronology Glossary Further Readings

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Book SynopsisOriginally published in 1972. The Men of the First French Republic analyzes some of the well-established evidence concerning deputies of the French National Convention of 1792. It was assumed that this evidence supported accepted generalizations about the convention's character and outlook. Patrick's examination of the convention as a whole, rather than its various groups of deputies (Plain, Mountain, and Gironde), suggests that a number of these generalizations may need revising. Patrick looks first at parliamentary behavior, particularly in the tumultuous first eight months, and then analyzes this behavior in terms of the deputies' background.Table of ContentsAbbreviationsPrefaceIntroductionPart I: The problem of political divisions in the ConventionChapter 1. The problem and the evidenceChapter 2. The political attitudes of 1793-94Part II: The deputies, the appels nominaux, and the politics of 1792-93Chapter 3. The trial of Louis XVI (i): The issuesChapter 4. The trial of Louis XVI (ii): The voting and its implicationsChapter 5. The appels nominaux of April and May 1793Part III: The deputies and their backgroundChapter 6. The deputies, their electorates, and the elections of 1792Chapter 7. Political experienceChapter 8. Ages and personal backgroundConclusionAppendix I. The ex-deputies in the ConventionII. Voting in the Legislative Assembly appels-nominaux of 1792III. The voting in the appels nominaux of 1793IV. The membership of political groupsV. The ages of the deputies (1 January 1793)VI. Personal and occupational backgroundVII. The later careers of the conventionnelsVIII. The suppleants and new members of 1793-95IX. The membership of the executive committees of the TerrorX. The results of the appels-nominaux of 15 - l 9 January 1793BibliographyIndexTables

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Book SynopsisMany on the Left have looked upon “universal” as a dirty word, one that signals liberalism’s failure to recognize the masculinist and Eurocentric assumptions from which it proceeds. Balibar builds on these critiques, yet works to rescue and reinvent what universal claims can offer for a revolutionary politics answerable to the common.Table of ContentsPreface: Equivocity of the Universal | vii 1 Racism, Sexism, Universalism: A Reply to Joan Scott and Judith Butler | 1 Racism and sexism: a single “community”? | 5 The institution and discriminatory function of the universal | 8 “Human essence,” “normality,” and “anthropological differences” | 14 2 Constructions and Deconstructions of the Universal | 19 First Lecture | 19 Second Lecture | 39 3 Sub Specie Universitatis: Speaking the Universal in Philosophy | 59 Strategies of disjunction | 65 Strategies of subsumption | 69 Strategies of translation | 75 4 On Universalism: In Dialogue with Alain Badiou | 84 5 A New Quarrel | 96 Anthropological differences and “human” subjectivity | 97 The desire to know | 103 Three aporias of universality | 105 “Les langues se parlent” | 115 Notes | 121

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Book SynopsisIn 2017, the State Department lost 60% of its career ambassadors. Hiring has been cut and the budget slashed. The idealistic women and men who chose to enter government service are leaving in record numbers, jeopardizing operations both domestically and internationally, and eroding the U.S. standing on the world stage.In There Are No Good Guys, former State Department official Lizzy Shackelford shows this erosion first-hand through her experience within the precarious rise and devastating fall of the world's newest country, South Sudan. Shackleford's excitement about the possibility of encouraging democracy from the ground up quickly turns to questioning, then to shock at the under-resourced American embassy in the capitol and at the miscommunication and willful ignorance perpetuated within the State Department itself. She argues that the decline in diplomacy didn't begin with the current administration, and illustrates the damaging effects of an American foreign policy approach that gives short shrift to the values of democracy, accountability, and human rights that we have long feigned to promote in our overseas engagements.Policy and politics come alive through Shackleford's sense of storytelling and suspense, as she weaves extraordinary tales of life as a young female diplomat with a wry sense of humor and a skeptic's thirst for understanding. And in navigating both American bureaucracy and the fraught history and present of South Sudan, she conveys an urgent message about the evolving (and devolving) state of U.S. foreign policy.

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Book SynopsisThis is a comprehensive, up to date and concise guide to one of the most important branches of philosophy. It has entries on Hobbes, Marx, and Rorty, as well as entries which explain what 'contract theory' is, and gives an account of 'multi-culturalism.' This book guides the reader through the intricacies of political theory.Trade ReviewDespite the broad and interdisciplinary scope of political philosophy, the book manages to be both concise and comprehensive ... While remaining reasonably neutral [Pike] interjects just enough opinion to make the book a compelling read ... In showing how the diverse concepts fit together, the book succeeds in its goal of providing the philosophical framework needed by new students of this subject. -- Alan K. Pannell, Reference Librarian, University of Colorado ARBA Online

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Book SynopsisCarl Schmitt is one of the most widely read and influential German thinkers of the twentieth century. His fundamental works on friend and enemy, legality and legitimacy, dictatorship, political theology and the concept of the political are read today with great interest by everyone from conservative Catholic theologians to radical political thinkers on the left. In his private life, however, Schmitt was haunted by the demons of his wild anti-Semitism, his self-destructive and compulsive sexuality and his deep-seated resentment against the complacency of bourgeois life. As a young man from a modest background, full of social envy, he succeeded in making his way to the top of the academic world in Germany, and yet he never felt at home in the academic establishment and among those of high social standing. When the Nazis seized power, Schmitt was susceptible to their ideology. He broke with his Jewish friends, joined the Nazi Party in May 1933 and lent a helping hand to Hitler, Trade Review"Mehring’s study...lay bare the links between Schmitt’s litigious life and his complicated ideas."Library Journal "Reinhard Mehring offers the English speaking world the first comprehensive intellectual biography of the highly controversial legal and political theorist, Carl Schmitt. Based on extensive archival research and a vast amount of unpublished material, Mehring identifies the psychological and emotional motivations that drove the intellectual endeavors of the notorious philosopher of "the political" and "the state of exception." Mehring demonstrates conclusively how Schmitt's struggles with, among other issues, his sexual desire and his obsession with the Jews, generated some of the most important, influential and dangerous political writings of the twentieth century."John P. McCormick, University of Chicago "In this fascinating biography, Mehring has used Schmitt’s only recently available diaries and calendar entries to lay bare the obsessions of this brilliant thinker -- often referred to as the Hobbes of the 20th century. Especially revealing are his struggles to shatter “the Jew in him,” which led him to aspire to become Hitler’s “pope” with all that that implied. Politically naïve about Nazism, he was severely attacked by the SS in 1936 and marginalized for, among other reasons, his pre-1933 close association with Jews and his anti-Nazism."George Schwab, President, National Committee on American Foreign Policy ‘Mehring’s book is a remarkable achievement: an intellectual biography that illuminates a whole era while taking very seriously the intimate connections between the theory and the restless and obsessive personality of its main character. It is bound to remain a fundamental reference in the vast literature on one of the most decisive chapters in European constitutional history: the Weimar Republic.’Political Studies Review ‘By presenting a complete account of Schmitt’s life, heretofore absent, Mehring has done a great service. This biography will no doubt be the point of departure for studies of Carl Schmitt and his intellectual legacy for a long time.’ConstellationsTable of ContentsAbbreviations Translator’s Preface A White Raven: The Strange Life of the German State Theorist Carl Schmitt Part One That ‘false and arrogant idea “I am”’ Schmitt’s Rise in the Wilhelminian Era 1. An ‘Obscure Young Man from a Modest Background’ 2. The Law of Practice 3. Apotheosis of the Poet, Rant against Literary Figures: the ‘Untimely Poet’ and the ‘Received Wisdom of the Educated’ 4. On the Eve of the Great War: State, Church and Individual as Points of Reference 5. Düsseldorf: Living in a State of Exception 6. World War and Defeatism: Carl Schmitt in Munich 7. Strasbourg, the State of Siege and a Decision in Favour of Catholicism 8. Political Romanticists 1815/1919 Part 2 Beyond Bourgeois Existence Schmitt’s Life and Work during the Weimar Republic 1. A Permanent Position? The Handelshochschule in Munich 2. A ‘Faithful Gypsy’ in Greifswald 3. Arrival in Bonn? Schmitt’s Turn towards the Catholic Church 4. Schmitt as a Teacher in Bonn 5. From Status Quo to Democratic ‘Myth’ 6. The Yield of the Bonn Years: 7. From ‘Ice Floe to Ice Floe’: Signals in the Berlin Maelstrom 8. Reconstructing the ‘Strong’ State 9. Within the Journalistic Circles of Weimar’s Last Days 10. Carl Schmitt as an Actor During the Rule by Presidential Decree Part Three In The Belly of the Leviathan: Schmitt’s Involvement in National Socialism 1. After 30 January 1933 2. Schmitt’s Resistible Rise to the Position of ‘Crown Jurist’ 3. The ‘Year of Construction’? Beginning and End of the Juridico-Institutional Provision of Meaning 4. Anti-Semitic Provision of Meaning 5. A New Turn with Hobbes? Meaning and Failure of Schmitt’s Commitment to National Socialism 6. The Right to Power? Großraum Order and Empire Formation 7. The Captain held Hostage? Carl Schmitt’s Farewell to the ‘Reich’ 8. Last Writings under National Socialism Part Four ‘One man remains’ Schmitt’s Slow Retreat after 1945 1. Detention and ‘Asylum’ 2. From Benito Cereno to Hamlet: The ‘Comeback’ of the Intellectual? 3. Private Seminars in Plettenberg: Schmitt’s Renewed Influence on Pupils in the Federal Republic 4. The Partisan in Conversation 5. Past Eighty: A Look Back to Old Questions Appendix Afterword Chronology Bibliography Endnotes Acknowledgments

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Book SynopsisThe question of migration has come to dominate the news agenda in many countries, but what does the word ‘migrant’ really mean today and how should we respond to those who are labelled ‘migrants’? In this short book Alain Badiou argues that our way of thinking about migration should be governed both by an ethical duty to welcome the migrant in the name of hospitality and also by the urgent need to put an end to the global capitalist oligarchy that has produced the migrant as a figure of contemporary crisis. For the ‘migrant,’ argues Badiou, is in fact a nomadic proletarian. Today, our homeland is the world, and any meaningful politics must include those who come to us and who represent the universal nomadic proletariat. Writing with the rigor, clarity, and polemical flair that have made him one of the world’s most influential philosophers, and drawing on a rich body of material including contemporary poetry and the words of an anonymous migrant, Badiou develops a powerful riposte to those who have stoked the fear of migrants and exploited the migration question for political ends.

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Book SynopsisSocial capital is a principal concept across the social sciences and has readily entered into mainstream discourse. In short, it is popular. However, this popularity has taken its toll. Social capital suffers from a lack of consensus because of the varied ways it is measured, defined, and deployed by different researchers. It has been put to work in ways that stretch and confuse its conceptual value, blurring the lines between networks, trust, civic engagement, and any type of collaborative action. This clear and concise volume presents the diverse theoretical approaches of scholars from Marx, Coleman, and Bourdieu to Putnam, Fukuyama, and Lin, carefully analyzing their commonalities and differences. Joonmo Son categorizes this wealth of work according to whether its focus is on the necessary preconditions for social capital, its structural basis, or its production. He distinguishes between individual and collective social capital (from shared resources of a personal network to pooled assets of a whole society), and interrogates the practical impact social capital has had in various policy areas (from health to economic development). Social Capital will be of immense value to readers across the social sciences and practitioners in relevant fields seeking to understand this mercurial concept.Trade Review"A magnificent book that precisely captures both individual and collective aspects of social capital, differentiates it from structural preconditions, and illuminates its wide contributions to scholarship. Essential for scholars, students, and practitioners interested in the theory, research, and applications of social capital."—Nan Lin, Duke University "An excellent account of the different aspects and applications of social capital. The book is comprehensive and profound, while nicely connecting theory with measurements. A must-read for researchers, teachers, and students."—Beate Völker, Utrecht University "This book seeks to bring the complicated and often fragmented literature of social capital into a coherent whole. After applying a dichotomous framework between individual and collective types of social capital to a variety of domains, it proposes a new and more sensible model of social capital. The book contains many interesting ideas and is an essential reading for social scientists."—Yaojun Li, University of Manchester "The social capital literature is expansive in need of a good integration and refocusing. Son's Social Capital is an excellent start."—Craig M. Rawlings, Social Forces "Son very helpfully wrangles a large, complicated, and unruly literature[, ...] provides a systematic and clear survey of the literature and proposes a simple analytical scaffold to organize many findings and studies."—Bruce Carruthers, Contemporary Sociology "Son has written a solid introduction to the concept of social capital and the literature surrounding it. [...] I strongly recommend Son's book—especially chapter three—to students and scholars planning to use the concept of social capital in empirical-analytical social science."—Acta SociologicaTable of ContentsPreface 1. What is Social Capital? 2. Measuring Social Capital 3. Social Capital, Civil Society, and Economic Development 4. Social Capital and Status Attainment 5. Social Capital and Health 6. Online Social Capital 7. Social Capital: Delimitation and Empowerment

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Book SynopsisBernard E. Harcourt calls for moving beyond the complacency of decades of philosophical detours and to harness critical thought to the need for action. Critique and Praxis advocates for a new path forward that constantly challenges each one of us to ask what more we can do to realize a society based on equality and justice.Trade ReviewCritique and Praxis is the work of a visionary revolutionary intellectual. -- Biodun Jeyifo * British Journal of Sociology *With his typical combination of erudition, eloquent argument, and theoretical clarity, Bernard Harcourt now gives us a complete account of his reading of contemporary critical philosophy, articulating it with immediate issues in the field of human rights and democratic politics. A tour de force which will give readers much to learn and much to think about. I will have it permanently on my desk, or not far. -- Étienne Balibar, author of Violence and Civility: On the Limits of Political PhilosophyHas critical philosophy completed its mission or has it renounced the task, which it posed in the 1920s, to link theory and praxis in order to change the world? Harcourt’s response is unequivocal: the critical theory that emerged from the Frankfurt School has lost its original orientation and separated theory from the passion for praxis. Many other philosophical tendencies have since occupied this terrain, reimagining the theoretical horizon and trying to construct practices adequate to contemporary society. Harcourt studies and critiques them attentively, be they liberal currents or socialist variants, European philosophies of the common or insurrectionalist approaches. For Harcourt, however, critique must return to its radical roots and be done ‘en situation.’ This book inaugurates a turn from Foucault-style genealogies to a critical thought that is rooted in praxis and critiques it politically. With this passage, Harcourt exclaims, with Haraway, that ‘the only scientific thing to do is to revolt!’ And he confesses that in his previous books he only scratched at the surface of this conversion. Today the paradigm has shifted and praxis must be posed as subjectivation. If before the problem consisted in responding to ‘What is to be done?,’ today the question is ‘What more am I to do?’ Harcourt thus transforms critical philosophy into a manifesto of ethical engagement. -- Antonio Negri, coauthor of EmpireA relentlessly honest and learned exploration of how critical theory can turn again to the task of changing the world. Learning from above but assiduously from below, activist legal scholar Bernard Harcourt utilizes illusion and value, makes theory and practice collide, and asks: 'What more am I to do?' Required reading. -- Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak, author of Other AsiasBernard Harcourt's pragmatic and comprehensive dissection of philosophy and the quest for social justice is timely, provocative, and critically needed in this moment of global uncertainty, endless conflict, and pervasive inequality. -- Bryan Stevenson, author of Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and RedemptionHarcourt has produced a challenging book, which addresses many of our current predicaments, and he has the moral authority to command our attention. * Marx and Philosophy Review of Books *His mountainous text is a repetitive tool-box of notes and thoughts from his seminar series and own readings. Like lightning, brilliant ideas flash across the pages. * Counterpunch *By any measure, Critique & Praxis is an impressive contribution, passionate, lucid, deeply committed and nearly always generous in its disagreements. As a conversation between Foucauldian philosophy and radical-political engagement, it is a tour de force. * New Left Review *It’s lucidly written and relatively short on jargon. Which makes it an important book to pay attention to, even for those with no interest in abstruse political-social theories, because we urgently need new ways to critique the system we live in and develop new strategies to oppose and replace it. * History News Network *Critique & Praxis is one of the most provoking contributions to critical theory of the twenty-first century. * Foucault Studies *Bernard Harcourt's latest book is bold, brave, and too short. -- Frieder Vogelmann * British Journal of Sociology *A wide-ranging effort to take up the conundrum of critical theory, which has been with us since Marx wrote the eleventh thesis—that is, that we think and act in and on a damaged society. * Political Theory *Table of ContentsPreface: The Primacy of Critique and PraxisIntroduction: Toward a Critical Praxis TheoryPart I. Reconstructing Critical Theory1. The Original Foundations2. Challenging the Frankfurt Foundations3. Michel Foucault and the History of Truth-Making4. The Return to Foundations5. The Crux of the Problem6. Reconstructing Critical Theory7. A Radical Critical Philosophy of IllusionsPart II. Reimagining the Critical Horizon8. The Transformation of Critical Utopias9. The Problem of Liberalism10. A Radical Critical Theory of Values11. A Critical Horizon of Endless Struggle12. The Problem of Violence13. A Way ForwardPart III. Renewing Critical Praxis14. The Transformation of Praxis15. The Landscape of Contemporary Critical Praxis16. The New Space of Critical PraxisPart IV. Reformulating Critique17. Reframing the Praxis Imperative18. What More Am I To Do?19. Crisis, Critique, PraxisConclusionPostscriptNotesBibliographyAcknowledgmentsName IndexConcept Index

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Book SynopsisAs an unprecedented global pandemic sweeps the planet, who better than the supercharged Slovenian philosopher Slavoj Žižek to uncover its deeper meanings, marvel at its mind-boggling paradoxes and speculate on the profundity of its consequences? We live in a moment when the greatest act of love is to stay distant from the object of your affection. When governments renowned for ruthless cuts in public spending can suddenly conjure up trillions. When toilet paper becomes a commodity as precious as diamonds. And when, according to Žižek, a new form of communism – the outlines of which can already be seen in the very heartlands of neoliberalism – may be the only way of averting a descent into global barbarism. Written with his customary brio and love of analogies in popular culture (Quentin Tarantino and H. G. Wells sit next to Hegel and Marx), Žižek provides a concise and provocative snapshot of the crisis as it widens, engulfing us all.Trade Review“An impressive feat... [Žižek] at his most powerful.” The Guardian “Passages of beauty... a high-wire juxtaposition of far-left political theory and pop culture, held together by the force of [Žižek’s] rumpled charm.”BuzzFeed “Žižek leaves no social or cultural phenomenon untheorized, and is master of the counterintuitive observation.” The New Yorker “The most dangerous philosopher in the West.”Adam Kirsch, The New Republic “I don’t agree with those who claim that now is no time for politics... No! Now is a great time for politics, because the world in its current form is disappearing.”PANDEMIC! author Slavoj Žižek profiled in Haaretz "Stimulating" Times Higher Education"[T]his is not a rush job by a notably prolific author. The book is an achievement well worth respect and detailed attention."International Dialogue: A Multidisciplinary Journal of World AffairsTable of ContentsIntroduction: Noli Me Tangere 1 1. We're All in the Same Boat Now 5 2. Why Are We Tired All the Time? 17 3. Toawrds A Perfect Storm in Europe 29 4. Welcome to the Viral Desert 37 5. The Five Stage of Epidemics 47 6. The Virus of Ideology 53 7. Calm Down and Panic! 61 8. Monitor and Punish? Yes, Please! 71 9. Is Barbarism With a Human Dace Our Fate? 83 10. Communism or Barbarism, as Simple as That! 95 11. The Appointment in Samara: A New Use for Some Ild Jokes 107 Appendix: Two Helpful Letters from Friends 129

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Book SynopsisSince 2016, the UK has been in a crisis of its own making: but this is not the fault of Brexit but of a larger problem of our politics. The status of political parties, the mainstream media, public experts and officials have all been disrupted. Along the way, there have been shocking and exhilarating events: the unforeseen 2017 election result, the horrific details of Grenfell Tower and the Windrush scandal, the sudden rise and fall of the Brexit Party.As the 'mainstream' of politics and media has come under attack, the basic norms of public life have been thrown into question.This Is Not Normal takes stock of a historical moment that no longer recognises itself. Davies tells a story of the apparently chaotic and irrational events, and extracts their underlying logic and long-term causes. What we are seeing is the effects of the 2008 financial crash, the failure of the British neoliberal project, the dying of Empire, and the impact of the changes that technology and communications have had on the idea of the public sphere as well as the power of information. This is an essential book for anyone who wants to make sense of this current moment. .Trade ReviewThis book presses pause on the dazzling contingent brightness of the present, and allows the reflections of the evening to gather and turn towards a new day. * Manchester Review of Books *Brilliant ... Davies will be one of the experts to turn to guide us through the coming years. * WIRED *As William Davies brilliantly articulates in his most recent book, This is Not Normal: The Collapse of Liberal Britain, it's hard to convincingly advocate for normality, or indeed for norms in general, if you've spent years openly trashing the very notion. -- Dublin Review of BooksThis Is Not Normal: The Collapse of Liberal Britain seeks to pore over the deeper roots, expressions and manifestations of four interlocking crises in British politics, addressing some of the most pressing and perplexing questions facing the UK ... as Davies so skillfully shows, it would be foolish to make any firm predictions of what happens next. * LSE Review of Books *This Is Not Normal: The Collapse of Liberal Britain seeks to pore over the deeper roots, expressions and manifestations of four interlocking crises in British politics ... as Davies so skillfully shows, it would be foolish to make any firm predictions of what happens next. * Brave New Europe *But as an example of what its author calls "real-time sociology," the book harbors more ambition and more value than just a chronicle. Building on theoretical insights developed in his earlier work, Davies undertakes an applied investigation into the intertwined fates of liberalism, democracy, and media in the Anglo-American present, an investigation anchored in the problem of trust. -- Adam Kelly * LA Review of Books *

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Book SynopsisOne of the great classics on democracy, Rights of Man was published in England in 1791 as a vindication of the French Revolution and a critique of the British system of government. In direct, forceful prose, Paine defends popular rights, national independence, revolutionary war, and economic growth - all considered dangerous and even seditious issues. In his introduction Eric Foner presents an overview of Paine''s career as political theorist and pamphleteer, and supplies essential background material to Rights of Man. He discusses how Paine created a language of modern politics that brought important issues to the common man and the working classes and assesses the debt owed to Paine by the American and British radical traditions.Table of ContentsIntroduction by Eric FonerSuggestions for Further ReadingA Note on the TextRIGHTS OF MANNotes to Part OneNotes to Part Two

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Book SynopsisJohn Locke (1632-1704) one of the greatest English philosophers of the late seventeenth and early eighteenth century, argued in his masterpiece, An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, that our knowledge is founded in experience and reaches us principally through our senses; but its message has been curiously misunderstood. In this book John Dunn shows how Locke arrived at his theory of knowledge, and how his exposition of the liberal values of toleration and responsible government formed the backbone of enlightened European thought of the eighteenth century.ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Trade ReviewReview from previous edition 'lucid and lively ... offers a rich insight into the triumphs and tragedy of the source of English ideology' * New Society *Table of ContentsPreface ; 1. Life ; 2. The politics of trust ; 3. Knowledge, belief and faith ; Conclusion ; Note on sources ; Further reading

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Book SynopsisIn his Discourses (1755), Rousseau argues that inequalities of rank, wealth, and power are the inevitable result of the civilizing process. If inequality is intolerable - and Rousseau shows with unparalledled eloquence how it robs us not only of our material but also of our psychological independence - then how can we recover the peaceful self-sufficiency of life in the state of nature? We cannot return to a simpler time, but measuring the costs of progress may help us to imagine alternatives to the corruption and oppressive conformity of modern society. Rousseau''s sweeping account of humanity''s social and political development epitomizes the innovative boldness of the Englightment, and it is one of the most provocative and influential works of the eighteenth century. This new translation includes all Rousseau''s own notes, and Patrick Coleman''s introduction builds on recent key scholarship, considering particularly the relationship between political and aesthetic thought. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World''s Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford''s commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewA meticulously comprehensive, frequently persuasive accounting of [universal basic income’s] superiority by measures economic, philosophical, and pragmatic. -- Nathan Heller * New Yorker *Basic Income provides a rigorous analysis of the many arguments for and against a universal basic income, offering a road map for future researchers who wish to examine policy alternatives. -- Marc Levinson * Wall Street Journal *Although their goal is utopian, Van Parijs and Vanderborght aim to infuse it with economic and political realism…What Van Parijs and Vanderborght bring to this topic is a deep understanding, an enduring passion, and a disarming optimism. -- Steven Pearlstein * Washington Post *Van Parijs and Vanderborght go deep, focusing exclusively on a universal guaranteed income and examining a range of philosophical, practical and political arguments for and against it. In considered, often enlightening, prose, they delve into John Rawls, Ronald Dworkin and Amartya Sen. They look at a number of alternative schemes; they discuss various objections to guaranteed income programs, including those over cost, free riding, and the possibility of diminished incentives. -- Akash Kapur * Financial Times *Van Parijs and Vanderborght have done the discussion of a universal basic income a great service. They have set forth, clearly and comprehensively, what is probably the best case to be made today for this form of economic and social policy. -- Benjamin M. Friedman * New York Review of Books *What matters—what will lift the heart of every reader of Basic Income—is that Van Parijs and Vanderborght have enlisted the rigor and scruple of first-rate social science in the service of a generous social vision that is at least as old as Saint Ambrose and as up-to-date as Pope Francis. Our sensible and humane descendants—they are bound to be sensible or humane, since humanity would otherwise have long since succumbed to nuclear or environmental catastrophe—will doubtless wonder, with the easy impatience of posterity, what we were waiting for. They may, in fairness to us, decide that we were waiting for books like this. -- George Scialabba * Commonweal *Provid[es] argument after argument as to why [basic income’s] introduction would be ‘economically clever’ and why it is the next logical step to take in a long history of social policies aimed at reducing poverty and inequality. Their proposals are not only clear but also extremely pragmatic…The value of this book is that, more comprehensively than any other study yet, it explains why an obligation-free income for all would be so beneficial, and it also charts how this could be incrementally attained. -- Danny Dorling * Times Higher Education *The book is likely to become a primer on core debates, such as the scheme’s overall feasibility, but its most striking aspect is how the authors make their argument. They justify a basic income not as a tool with which to address inequality, but rather as an ‘instrument of freedom.’ -- Aaron Reeves * Nature *Will be essential for the ongoing debate. -- Ben Collyer * New Scientist *The West is awash these days in populist movements that cloak repressive and inegalitarian agendas. In these troubled times, an unconditional basic income is a beacon: a workable proposal that furthers freedom and equality for all. In this book, two modern pioneers of the UBI make the moral and practical case for endowing everyone with the resources to shape a life of their own choosing. -- Anne Alstott, Yale UniversityThis is a major contribution to the effort to design a realistic program for achieving social justice in the twenty-first century. -- Bruce Ackerman, Yale UniversityThe idea of a universal basic income has been around for quite a while, but has the time for it finally arrived? This superb, closely argued book makes the case for the affirmative answer. While the authors do not hide their sympathies, they approach their subject with a philosopher’s care for ethical justification, a historian’s focus on the antecedents, an economist’s concern for incentives, an empiricist’s respect for evidence, and a practitioner’s attention to feasibility. -- Dani Rodrik, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard UniversityIn this important introduction to the ‘basic income’ initiative—an economic proposal that may radically transform the nature of the modern economy and society—two leading social scientists examine the ethics and economics of the proposed move. This is essential reading for anyone interested in the problems of deprivation and unfreedom that survive even in the richest countries in the world. The remedial reasoning presented by Van Parijs and Vanderborght is powerful as well as highly engaging—a brilliant book. -- Amartya Sen, Harvard UniversityThe concrete proposal for reducing economic inequality makes it a good complement to Thomas Piketty’s Capital in the Twenty-First Century. This work, while certainly controversial to some readers, is a sober and well-argued study of the basic income concept. -- Lawrence Maxted * Library Journal *Van Parijs and Vanderborght…make a sturdy ethical and philosophical argument for the provision of universal basic income… This thorough, thoughtful study will undoubtedly become a much-cited landmark work on its subject. * Publishers Weekly *At once an intellectual paean to the ideal of a universal basic income, an attempt to win over those who might be skeptical or undecided, and a plea for pragmatism to its supporters. -- David Hearne * Economic Record *

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Book SynopsisSovereignty is the subject of many debates in international relations. Is it the source of state authority or a description of it? What is its history? Is it strengthening or weakening? Is it changing, and how? This book addresses these questions, but focuses on one less frequently addressed: what makes state sovereignty possible? The Sovereignty Cartelargues that sovereignty is built on state collusion states work together to privilege sovereignty in global politics, because they benefit from sovereignty''s exclusivity. This book explores this collusive behavior in international law, international political economy, international security, and migration and citizenship. In all these areas, states accord rights to other states, regardless of relative power, relative wealth, or relative position. Sovereignty, as a (changing) set of property rights for which states collude, accounts for this behavior not as anomaly (as other theories would) but instead as fundamental to the sovereign stTable of Contents1. Introduction; 2. Sovereignty?; 3. Sovereign Rights; 4. The Sovereignty Cartel; 5. The Sovereign; 6. Sovereign Property; 7. The Interstices of Sovereignty; 8. Normative Dissonance; 9. Conclusions.

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Book SynopsisHow can we reinvigorate the human capacity for political judgement in our uncertain post-foundational world? This book takes up the challenge by calling on 20th-century existentialism, in particular the works of Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, Albert Camus and Hannah Arendt.

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Book SynopsisThe question of free speech is never far from the headlines and frequently declared to be in crisis. Starting from the observation that such debates so often focus on what can and cannot be said in relation to race, Gavan Titley asks why racism has become so central to intense disputes about the status and remit of freedom of speech. Is Free Speech Racist? moves away from recurring debates about the limits of speech to instead examine how the principle of free speech is marshalled in today’s multicultural and intensively mediated societies. This involves tracing the ways in which free speech has been mobilized in far-right politics, in the recycling of ‘race realism’ and other discredited forms of knowledge, and in the politics of immigration and integration. Where there is intense political contestation and public confusion as to what constitutes racism and who gets to define it, ‘free speech’ has been adopted as a primary mechanism for amplifying and re-animating racist ideas and racializing claims. As such, contemporary free speech discourse reveals much about the ongoing life of race and racism in contemporary society.Trade Review"This is a small but mighty book."Angela Saini, BBC Science Focus 'Best Books of 2020'"Titley’s book offers a detailed, analytical counter-argument to those voices suggesting that the rights of the already entitled are somehow under threat or that speaking out against racism is an assault on public life.” […F]ree speech is always more, rather than less, complex in his analysis of the fluid processes by which it shapes racism."Times Higher Education"An excellent contribution to dispelling liberal myths that freedom of expression is impotent and unconditional, and to taking back freedom of expression. […] Titley's short and concise book [is] recommended for any anti-racist thinking and action." Antirasistisk "[This book] is clear, manageable and does not reproduce that fakely neutral tone that some academic discourses on race do. It does not shy away from complexity either. This book is both a worthwhile contribution to the history of writing on racism and a timely publication considering recent events. Highly recommended." Manchester Review of Books​ "[O]ne of the clearest accounts that has yet been published of […] how free speech is being misused by those who have turned it into an ideology. […] It's lively, compelling and principled, and anyone who cares about the topic should buy a copy." David Renton, lives; running"A particularly necessary reminder to those of us who relate to freedom of expression on a liberal basis […] that the worn-out term 'liberal democracy' is actually based on freedoms and rights that do not arise through reflex responses – that these are processes that require active debate to defend and develop. It is never more important than after attacks on our open societies."Göteborgs-Posten"Against accounts that frame freedom of speech in terms of idealized speech acts that serve both moral and utilitarian ends in avowedly enlightened, postracial liberal democracies, Titley asks critical questions about how invocations of free speech are being put to work, in service of whose interests, and to what ends. This framing pushes us past endless, circular debates about free speech as an abstract, idealized liberal democratic good and instead brings prevailing relations of oppression and exploitation sharply into focus."Alex Khasnabish, Journal for the Study of Radicalism "Titley writes with an analytical and interrogative eye toward one of democracy's most professed values and tenets—free speech. Clawing his way beneath the surface of popular political rhetoric, Titley implores his audience to reconsider how they understand free speech and its implications."Sociology of Race and Ethnicity"A significant contribution to our understanding [of how and why] the far- and racist right in many Western countries have with uneven but significant success managed to appropriate the language and rhetorics of free speech, and weaponize it for the purpose of mainstreaming racism and Islamophobia."Sindre Bangstad, Ethnic and Racial Studies "[P]seudoscience has now gone mainstream: it infects public and political discourse on the pandemic, on climate, on medicine and vaccination, on abortion, race and culture. […] As media scholar Gavan Titley points […], dealing with misinformation of this kind is an unequal battle."Chemistry World"In this admirably short, tightly argued and easily accessible book […], Titley shows us all what Applied Philosophy (my description, not his) can be, but so often is not: remorselessly logical, but at the same time jargon-free, witty and continually stimulating. The case that he sets out ought to be—but of course will not be—the last word on the matter."Bob Brecher, Res Publica "[A]n excellent inquiry into how racist expression has found a home through the alleged 'free speech crisis'."Irish Marxist Review "This important contribution embeds contemporary discussions of free speech into Critical Race Theory in subtle, well-argued ways. Titley exemplifies how racisms are advanced through the defense of freedom of speech, and how the latter is used as a blunt weapon to bludgeon efforts to tackle racist expression.​"David Theo Goldberg, University of California, Irvine "A marvellously readable and yet intellectually rigorous exploration of how race, racism and freedom of speech have become so intensely intertwined in the western public sphere. Titley offers an illuminating account of how the so-called “free speech crisis” is really a story of race, power and politics whereby vested interests have captured the very idea of the freedom to speak."Priyamvada Gopal, Churchill College, University of Cambridge"This is an excellent and urgently needed book that offers a key contribution to both academic and public debate on free speech. In a clear, succinct style, Gavan Titley persuasively argues that free speech is often defended in a superficial way, which focuses on speech as a mere channel of ideas and neglects structural inequalities between different speakers."Matteo Bonotti, Monash UniversityTable of Contents1 Debating racism, disputing speech 2 Closure: who decides what is racist? 3 Culture: who values free speech? 4 Capture: what is free speech being claimed for? Afterword: So, is free speech racist?

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Book SynopsisHow does armed conflict shape global politics? And, critically, can it ever be regulated, a necessary first step to achieving a more peaceful world? This book examines the factors that define and shape war in the contemporary world, and how changes to technology and society are transforming warfare. Focusing on efforts to regulate and eliminate war, it provides a guide to the complex problems it poses now – and threatens in the future.Table of Contents1. War in the Contemporary World 2. War in Theory and Practice 3. The Changing Context and Character of War 4. The Problems of War 5. The Future of War 6. Conclusion

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Book SynopsisFor decades, it has been easier to imagine the end of the world than the end of capitalism. In the decade leading up to the 2008 financial crisis, booming banks, rising house prices and cheap consumer goods propped up living standards in the rich world. Thirty years of rocketing debt and financial wizardry had masked the deep underlying fragility of finance-led growth, and in 2008 we were forced to pay up. The decade since has witnessed all kinds of morbid symptoms, as all around the rich world, wages and productivity are stagnant, inequality is rising, and ecological systems are collapsing. Stolen is a history of finance-led growth and a guide as to how we might escape it. We’ve sat back as financial capitalism has stolen our economies, our environment and even the future itself. Now, we have an opportunity to change course. What happens next is up to us. Trade Review“The best thing I’ve read about how we got into this mess, and how we get out.” — Frankie Boyle“One of the most inspiring, thought provoking and insightful voices on the left offers a route map out of this crisis – and this is a must read anyone who wants to change the world.” — Owen Jones“A clear, accessible and informative guide to left economics, showing how we got to this era of capitalist crisis, environmental catastrophe and insurgent socialist revival. Grace Blakeley offers radical solutions to an exploitative and unfair system.” — Bhaskar Sunkara, Jacobin“Grace Blakeley is one of the sharpest of a new generation of economic and political thinkers, with a gift for clearly and eloquently explaining how we got to the crisis point we’re in, and why only radical transformation will get us out. A must-read for today’s activists on both sides of the Atlantic.” — Sarah Jaffe, author of Necessary Trouble: Americans in Revolt

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Book SynopsisModernity has been defined by humanity’s capacity for self-destruction. In this timely and explosive book, philosopher and YouTuber Jonas Ceika (aka Cuck Philosophy) re-invigorates socialism for the 21st century. Leaving behind its past associations with bureaucracy and state tyranny, and it's lifeless and drab theoretical accounts, Ceika instead uses the works of Marx and Nietzsche to reconnect socialism with its human element, presenting it as something not only affecting, but created by living, breathing, suffering human individuals. At a time when ecological collapse is hurtling towards us, and capitalism offers no solution except more growth and exploitation, How to Philosophise with a Hammer and Sickle shows us the way forward to a socialism grounded in human experience and accessible to all.Trade Review"Čeika achieves the admirable task of showing that there is still more to Nietzsche than the political reactionary or the apolitical philosopher, and that Nietzsche’s work stands alongside that of Marx as a call to ‘the great liberation’ of humanity.”

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Book SynopsisA selection of nineteen essential essays from The Federalist Papers in their original lengths by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton and John Jay, with notes by Richard BeemanPenguin presents a series of six portable, accessible, and—above all—essential reads from American political history, selected by leading scholars. Series editor Richard Beeman, author of The Penguin Guide to the U.S. Constitution, draws together the great texts of American civic life to create a timely and informative mini-library of perennially vital issues. Whether readers are encountering these classic writings for the first time, or brushing up in anticipation of the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act, these slim volumes will serve as a powerful and illuminating resource for scholars, students, and civic-minded citizens.Written at a time when furious arguments were raging about the best way to govern America, The Federalist Papers had the imme

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Book SynopsisThis book seeks to explain how political actors know how to change, interpret, and apply the rules that comprise rule-based global order. It argues that actors in world politics are simultaneously engaged in an ongoing social practice of rule-making, interpretation and application.Trade Review[A] fantastic achievement. Scholars of international security, global governance, and practice will find the book to be of value. Moreover, policymakers must consider its message: the stakes of modern great-power competition are the rules of the international system, and in this world, skill in rulemaking is as important to a state's national security interests as a bullet on the battlefield. This insight should caution U.S. policymakers who seek a retreat from global governance, as well as encourage the Biden administration as it seeks to restore U.S. leadership in the world. * Miles M. Evers, H-Diplo *The book extends practice theory's application beyond specific aspects of world politics (like diplomacy) to the more general phenomenon of argumentation. This approach enables Raymond to make constitutive and causal explanations about the process of rule change. * Perspectives on Politics *What goes into the making of successful global rules? In this sweeping and intellectually powerful analysis, Raymond shows that there are generic procedural rules for making rules that apply across contexts. Spanning topics from great power management and collective security to terrorism and cybersecurity, Raymond deftly reveals commonalties in the construction of governance arrangements of all types. A must-read for all students of global governance and international politics. * Martha Finnemore, University Professor of Political Science and International Affairs, George Washington University *It's one thing to talk about rules and their properties in the abstract. It's quite another thing to talk about rules in practice-lawyers do this for a living, but only with a limited stock of formal rules; many constructivists talk about informal rules in the wooliest terms. It is altogether something else to map 'the endogenous dynamics of complex rule sets.' These are Mark Raymond's words for his ambitiously conceived, carefully executed project. Finding rules for making rules in four astutely chosen case studies, Raymond shows how two centuries of social construction have given us today's system of international governance. * Nicholas Greenwood Onuf, Professor Emeritus of Politics and International Relations, Florida International University *If global governance is about rule-making and interpretation, these activities are themselves governed by secondary rules. In one of the most thoughtful constructivist works of recent years, Mark Raymond examines how and why social practices of secondary rule-making have structured global security orders from the Concert of Europe to the campaign against al Qaeda and ongoing efforts to regulate cyberwarfare. * Jason Sharman, Sir Patrick Sheehy Professor of International Relations, University of Cambridge *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction Chapter 1: Social Practices of Rule-Making Chapter 2: The Social Construction of Great Power Management, 1815-1822 Chapter 3: Banning War: Social Practices of Rule-Making in the Interwar Period Chapter 4: Social Practices of Rule-Making and the Global War on Terror Chapter 5: Applying Old Rules to New Cases: International Law in the Cyber Domain Conclusion Notes References Index

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Book SynopsisHow can egalitarian ideals be put into action? This ground-breaking book sets out a new interdisciplinary model for equality studies. Integrating normative questions about the ideal of equality with empirical issues about the nature of inequality, it applies a new framework to a wide range of contemporary inequalities. Proposing far-reaching changes in the economy, politics, law, education and research practices, it sets out innovative political strategies for achieving those aims. It is an invaluable resource for both academics and activists.Trade Review'This book confidently crosses the chasm between theory and action. It is a major achievement which deserves to be on the reading list of every politician, academic and activist concerned about social inequity and justice' -Professor Madeleine Arnot, Chair of Sociology of Education, Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge, UK 'This is a truly extraordinary book, combining sophisticated philosophical discussion of the fundamental moral issues linked to equality with solid sociological analysis of existing institutions and how they work to generate inequality, and provocative political analysis of strategies to transform those institutions...It provides a powerful framework for a new egalitarianism for the 21st century' -Erik Olin Wright, Vilas Distinguished Professor of Sociology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, USA 'The book is astonishing in its scope' -Jonathan Wolff, Professor and Head of Department of Philosophy, University College London, UK 'This book makes a significant contribution to the field and is a positive sign of things to come from the equality studies discipline' -Faith Armitage, Feminist Review 'This is a well-researched text, which benefits from international a well as local examples of equality and inequality...This book represents one small step on the road to a greater equality' -Pedagogy, Culture and Society 'The book provides a thorough examination of the politics and theory of equality and should be read by academics, equality lawyers, students, activists and anyone who desires a more equal world' -Harriet Samuels, Feminist Legal StudiesTable of ContentsPreface to Second Edition PART I: THE NEW EQUALITY AGENDA New Challenges to an Unequal World Dimensions of Equality: A Framework for Theory and Action The Centrality of Equality: Equality and Other Values Contexts of Egalitarian Change: Social Systems and Social Groups PART II: PUTTING EQUALITY INTO PRACTICE Towards Economic Equality The Challenge of Participatory Democracy Equality, the Legal System and Employment Law Equality and Education Emancipatory Research as a Tool of Change PART III: STRATEGIES FOR CHANGE Class, Gender and the Equality Movement Ideology and Resistance Strategic Issues for the Equality Movement Notes Bibliography

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Book Synopsis**THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER BBC RADIO 4 BOOK OF THE WEEK**Preventable tells the extraordinary story of COVID-19 and how global politics shape our health - from a world-leading expert and the pandemic''s go-to science communicatorProfessor Devi Sridhar has risen to prominence for her vital roles in communicating science to the public and speaking truth to power. In Preventable she highlights lessons learned from outbreaks past and present in a narrative that traces the COVID-19 pandemic - including her personal experience as a scientist - and sets out a vision for how we can better protect ourselves from the inevitable health crises to come.In gripping and heartfelt prose, Sridhar exposes the varied realities of those affected (from the jailed doctor in Wuhan who sounded the alarm, and the bored passengers marooned on the Diamond Princess cruise ship, to the daily nightmares of exhausted healthcare wor

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Book SynopsisA novel, integrative approach to cities as complex adaptive systems, applicable to issues ranging from innovation to economic prosperity to settlement patterns.Human beings around the world increasingly live in urban environments. In Introduction to Urban Science, Luis Bettencourt takes a novel, integrative approach to understanding cities as complex adaptive systems, claiming that they require us to frame the field of urban science in a way that goes beyond existing theory in such traditional disciplines as sociology, geography, and economics. He explores the processes facilitated by and, in many cases, unleashed for the first time by urban life through the lenses of social heterogeneity, complex networks, scaling, circular causality, and information.Though the idea that cities are complex adaptive systems has become mainstream, until now those who study cities have lacked a comprehensive theoretical framework for understanding cities and urbanization, for gener

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Book SynopsisHow the discovery of a harmless leak of radiation sparked a media firestorm, political grandstanding, and fearmongering that closed a vital scientific facility.In 1997, scientists at Brookhaven National Laboratory found a small leak of radioactive water near their research reactor. Brookhaven was—and is—a world-class, Nobel Prize–winning lab, and its reactor was the cornerstone of US materials science and one of the world’s finest research facilities. The leak, harmless to health, came from a storage pool rather than the reactor. But its discovery triggered a media and political firestorm that resulted in the reactor’s shutdown, and even attempts to close the entire laboratory. A quarter century later, the episode reveals the dynamics of today’s controversies in which fears and the dismissal of science disrupt serious discussion and research of vital issues such as vaccines, climate change, and toxic chemicals. This story

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Book SynopsisAn investigation of the role of learning and its impact on policy change, as exemplified in European Union climate policy integration. Although learning is often considered an important factor in effective environmental governance, it is not clear to what extent learning affects decision making and policy outcomes. In this book, Katharina Rietig examines the role of learning—understood as additional knowledge or experience that is taken into account by policymakers—in earth system governance and policy change. She does this by examining learning in European Union climate policy integration, looking in detail at the examples of the Renewable Energy Directive, its controversial biofuels component, and the greening measures in the Common Agricultural Policy. To examine how learning occurs in the policy process, how to differentiate aspects of learning, and under what conditions learning matters for policy outcomes, Rietig introduces the Learnin

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Book SynopsisA new conception of housing justice grounded in moral principles that appeal to the home’s special connection to American life.In response to the twin crises of homelessness and housing insecurity, an emerging “housing justice” coalition argues that America’s apparent inability to provide decent housing for all is a moral failing. Yet if housing is a right, as housing justice advocates contend, what is the content of that right? In a wide-ranging examination of these issues, Casey Dawkins chronicles the concept of housing justice, investigates the moral foundations of the US housing reform tradition, and proposes a new conception of housing justice that is grounded in moral principles that appeal to the home’s special connection to American life.            Dawkins examines the conceptual foundations of justice and explores the social meaning of the American home. He chronicles

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Book SynopsisA comprehensive study of the growth, potential, and limits of transnational eco-certification in China and the implications for other emerging economies.China has long prioritized economic growth over environmental protection. But in recent years, the country has become a global leader in the fight to save the planet by promoting clean energy, cutting air and water pollution, and developing a system of green finance. In Certifying China, Yixian Sun explores the potential and limits of transnational eco-certification in moving the world’s most populous country toward sustainable consumption and production. He identifies the forces that drive companies from three sectors—seafood, palm oil, and tea—to embrace eco-certification. The success of eco-certification, he says, will depend on the extent to which it wins the support of domestic actors in fast-growing emerging economies. The assumption of eco-certification is that demand along th

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Book SynopsisThe importance of telling new climate stories—stories that center the persistence of life itself, that embrace comedy and radical hope.“How dare you?” asked teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg at the United Nations in 2019. How dare the world’s leaders fiddle around the edges when the world is on fire? Why is society unable to grasp the enormity of climate change? In Beyond Climate Breakdown, Peter Friederici writes that the answer must come in the form of a story, and that our miscomprehension of the climate crisis comes about because we have been telling the wrong stories. These stories are pervasive; they come from long narrative traditions, sanctioned by capitalism, Hollywood, and social media, and they revolve around a myth: that the nation exists primarily as a setting for a certain kind of economic activity.   Stories are how we make sense of the world and our place in it. The story that “the economy&

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